At Golders Hill School we believe that all members of our school community should have a clear understanding of the behaviour expected of them and the consequences of their actions, including clear and fair sanctions.

We adopt a positive approach to building a trusting and caring ethos whereby children and staff can feel happy and safe. We aim to apply all rules fairly and consistently in accordance with our Equality Policy (and the Equality Act 2010). We believe that the promotion of good behaviour, self-discipline and self-respect will assist in the prevention of bullying. (This aim should be read in conjunction with our Anti-Bullying Policy.)

Children are encouraged to show courtesy and respect to all members of our school community. The Head Teacher awards a Courtesy Cup each term to reward polite behaviour.

All staff should actively strive to prevent all forms of bullying (including cyber-bullying) and discrimination (see also our Equality Policy, Anti-Bullying Policy and our Safeguarding Policy). Golders Hill School will take active steps to fulfil its Equality Duty. These steps will be set out from time to time in a School Development Action Plan.

Our schemes of work for Citizenship, R.E. and P.H.S. E. and our Assemblies proactively strive to create an ethos where good behaviour is promoted bullying may be prevented. Golders Hill School has regard to the separate aspects of development (spiritual, moral, social and cultural) that have an impact on the behaviour and safety of pupils.

Golders Hill School does not exclude children for challenging behaviour.

The staff use visual, sung and non-verbal signals to the children to sustain good behaviour. Shouting is discouraged save for where a child is in immediate danger.

Golders Hill School recognises that children should be offered opportunities for noisy and lively play.

Children are expected to complete appropriate work assigned to them and refusal to do so (as opposed to inability to do so) will be dealt with as a behavioural issue.

Inappropriate items brought to school will be confiscated for the day and returned to the adult collecting the child with a request to supervise more closely what their child brings to school.

Any accusations of a breach of the terms of this policy made against members of staff by adults will be dealt with in accordance with our Whistle-blowers Policy. Any accusations made by children will be investigated and monitored by the Head Teacher.

2. Rules, rewards and consequences

We praise and reward children’s good behaviour in many ways:

Staff praise and congratulate children within the classroom and playground ;

Children are given House Points so that each school house can work towards winning a termly trophy;

The Head Teacher awards good behaviour, courtesy and merit badges each week in assembly. Merit includes good learning dispositions in addition to high achievements.

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Golders Hill School does not use detention although children may be kept in for a maximum of ten minutes at playtime to complete tasks or as a cooling-off period.

The Golders Hill Way consists of five clear age-appropriate statements that set out how we expect our school community to behave. This is displayed in each classroom and explained to the children regularly.

How to deal with unacceptable behaviour is a chart setting out how staff should tackle types of challenging behaviour in a proportionate manner so as to encourage consistency of approach by different staff members.

The Home School Agreement is a booklet signed by each child, parents and the Head Teacher, sharing our goals and expectations.

3. Class Teachers

Class Teachers are expected to teach the children how to behave well and how to be polite. They should model appropriate behaviour. Classroom management strategies should be in place to encourage self-discipline and to promote self-esteem. The activities and tasks presented to the children should be appropriate to the individual child’s needs and abilities. The children should be clear about what rewards or sanctions particular types of behaviour will attract. A handover book or notes should be used when different teachers take over the class. Class teachers should liaise with parents and carers to work together to help children to achieve behavioural targets. Circle Time can be used to discuss behavioural expectations and to offer strategies to children for self-discipline. When speaking to children, the behaviour rather than the child should be the focus i.e. explain what aspect of the child’s behaviour is unacceptable but do not apply labels to the child. Class Teachers should liaise with the staff members responsible for the implementation of this policy when tackling persistent behavioural issues.

Details of all incidents and sanctions must be provided to the school office in order that the data can be analysed and reviewed accurately within our central logging and monitoring system.

4. The Senior Management Team

The Senior Management Team is expected to offer leadership, training and support to all staff. This will include issues relating to classroom and behaviour management in general and advice on how to deal with individual children. Pupil support systems will be put in place initially through an I.B.P.(Individual Behaviour Plan) The Senior Management Team will liaise with parents and outside professional advisers in order to set and help to achieve behavioural targets.

The Senior Management Team will facilitate non-contact time for staff to manage transitional arrangements between year groups. Confidential information about children with behavioural issues will be shared with those members of staff who need to be made aware of it in order to manage that child’s progress. This aim should be read in conjunction with our Confidentiality Policy.

The Senior Management Team will be responsible for keeping records of incidents involving other children (which will be shared with both sets of parents), persistent challenging behaviour, Individual Behaviour Plans and Professional Assessments.

5. Parents

Golders Hill School fosters close relationships with parents and carers. Information is shared through the prospectus, the school website, the Home-School Agreement and through regular personal dialogue. We expect parents to work in partnership with us to achieve our goals and to support our school ethos. Parents can expect Golders Hill School to offer support and guidance in helping the children to achieve their behavioural goals. Any concerns regarding this policy or its implementation should be raised with the Head Teacher.

6. Pupils will follow the Golders Hill Way and comply with their promises in the Home/School Agreement.

7. Physical contact

Golders Hill School follows the provisions of:

Use of reasonable force

Advice for head teachers, staff and governing bodies (DfE 2012)

Physical restraint with reasonable force proportionate to the circumstances may be used if any child is in immediate danger (and as set out in the DfE advice.) Staff INSET training has been provided on the use of reasonable force. The use of physical force is a power and not a duty. Members of staff have the right not to exercise this power. It can never be used as a punishment.

The Head Teacher will inform parents if their child has been restrained physically. Any complaints will be dealt with in accordance with our Complaints Procedure and the government guidance.

Golders Hill School positively encourages physical comforting of the young children in our care. It is not illegal to touch a pupil and Golders Hill School has rigorous Safeguarding and Whistleblowing procedures in place to ensure that physical contact is appropriate.

Date: 30 January 2015

Review Date: January 2017 (or following any further DfE reviews, as necessary)